I'm not weak am I?
by Umino Zahira
Summary: Kakashi hates Iruka for being loved by everyone. But when Tsunade sends them on a mission together with Anko, who tries to protect Iruka from Kakashi's mean comments , Kakashi realizes something... KakaIru
1. Eavesdropping

I finally decided to start writing an English KakaIru-Story. I'm German, but I hopefully my English is more or less correct. Please tell me every mistake, you find, so that I can correct it!

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_**Eavesdropping**_

"Kakashi-San!"

The voice behind him made the silver-haired Shinobi turn round.

"What's the matter, Iruka-Sensei?", he asked the dolphin teacher who was running towards him.

"Tsunade-Sama wishes all Jou-Nin to meet immediately at her room", the Chuu-Nin panted exhaustedly, "I'm so glad, I found you. I thought you were still on a mission?"

"As you probably see, I'm not", answered Kakashi and stepped forward, "so, let's go."

"But…uhm…" – Iruka slightly scratched his head while speaking and his cheeks turned red – "I'm...not a Jou-Nin…for that I'm not going…"

"Huh. What's the matter; it's just a non-serious ensemble."

"But…that's against Hokage-Sama's rules, Kakashi-San! I CAN'T come."

It seemed to Kakashi, as if Iruka hung his head about it and he doubted, the teacher took it as lightly, as he showed.

"Well, think about my words, Iruka-Sensei. If you like to come, do so. Tsunade-Sama won't blame you."

After saying this Kakashi left the Dolphin behind and made his way to the Hokage's office.

'Why am I so confused by just talking to Kakashi-San all of a sudden?', Iruka thought on his way home, 'And why the hell does it hurt so much, not being aloud to come to the Jou-Nins' ensemble? I never went there and it was OK…but now…something has changed. I wonder what's up with me at the moment.'

He reached his house, unlocked the door and slipped into the small hall. He slapped the door shut behind him, sunk down against the wall and sighed loudly.

"Well", the Hokage said to the Jou-Nin standing in front of her, "I called you because I have to tell you something very important. You know, Orochimaru has been killed by Uchiha Sasuke, who's now searching for his S-Ranked criminal brother Uchiha Itachi. We can't afford them becoming one team!"

"Uhm… Tsunade-Sama…Sasuke is going to fight against his brother to kill him", Anko argued, "he has his own team."

"Anko is right", Kakashi agreed, "He won't even think of becoming Itachi's comrade."

"But you never know about the older Uchiha's plans. Maybe he'll make his younger brother become his friend by using the Sharingan on him."

"That's asinine", the Scarecrow replied in his usual, blunt way of speaking, "Sasuke possesses the Sharingan, too, can you remember?"

"Kakashi!", Tsunade spitted and came dangerously close to the Jou-Nin, "Do not talk to me like that! Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-Sama", Kakashi answered calmly, not seeming to be the least bit daunted.

Tsunade hold back a snarl and simply came back to her speech: "For we can't estimate Sasukes power, we have to find out how strong he's gotten. The same is for Itachi."

"So you want us to search for them and find out more about the Uchiha brothers", one of the young Jou-Nin reasoned very craftily.

The Hatake sighed hear able. What was this youth capable of? If the boys of that age were as dumb as they seemed, that couldn't be so much…

"Yes", Tsunade answered honestly, "but…why are you so few? Are you all Jou-Nin, Konoha-Gakure has got?"

"No", Kakashi said calmly, "Gai-San, Genma-San and the others are still on their given missions."

The Fifth shook her head and sighed loudly.

"That can't be…you" – she pointed her finger at the younger boys and girls – "are just too young for doing such a dangerous job."

"No, We aren't!", one of the smallest boys vetoed, but the blond just folded her arms in front of her large breast and looked upon them severely until the teenagers left the room rapidly.

"There are only four of us left now", Kakashi determined reproachfully, "and Kurenai-San isn't ready for going on a mission, yet. First point, her lover died some few weeks ago; second: she's pregnant! For that there are left."

"Kakashi! Leave that tone out of your voice while talking to me!", Tsunade commanded before shaking her head a second time.

"What about the Ge-Nin-Youngsters? Some of them are good enough to go on that mission", Anko submitted carefully.

"No!", was the recent answer from outside the door. Silence followed.

"Iruka!", Tsunade exclaimed after a second, "What are you doing in front of the door?"

Slowly the door opened and the dolphin teacher slid in. He slightly blushed as he realized that all eyes lasted on him.

"Uhm…well…", he started explaining hesitantly, "I…I was just coming along the hallway and…and…" While searching for words he blushed even harder.

"Enough. You know, lying is not your excellence", Tsunade said and added: "You were eavesdropping."

Iruka drooped ashamedly and didn't even look the Fifth into her eyes.

"It's understandable, he wants to know what we're talking about", Anko tried to protect the Chuu-Nin and took a step forward in order to stand between him and the Fifth.

"Anko-San", Kakashi interfered as he saw the situation escalating, his voice mocking, "You're right, but he isn't a young boy who has to be protected anymore. So go out of Hokage-Sama's way!"

"You're just jealous of him!", Anko shot back angrily, "Because he's only a Chuu-Nin and everyone likes – or loves – him! Unlike you, whose father was hated all over the country. But is it Iruka-Sensei's fault? He isn't responsible for your past! He hasn't done anything to you, Kakashi-San! Why do you hate him that much?"

"Huh…why should I be jealous of this little idiot?"

Tears came up into Irukas eyes. Two of his comrades were fighting because of him. But he didn't want to be the cause of their anger. Angrily he blinked back the drops before screaming out: "Stop it! Both of you!"

Instead of answering anything to Kakashi, Anko turned to the Chuu-Nin and gave him a big smile.

"Huh...", Kakashi repeated before falling silent.

"Iruka", Tsunade said calmly again, "eavesdropping is wrong, as you know. But it's not that bad, too. To be honest, I'm glad you heard what we were talking about. Secondary: Seeing you three fighting like this, I got an idea. I'll send you out on that mission."

"What?!", Kakashi and Anko called out at once.

Iruka looked as if a child had been told Christmas would be earlier this year.

"He's only a Chuu-Nin", Anko made clear her worries, "He can't-"

"Tsunade-Sama", Kakashi interrupted her impolitely, "Anko's right. He is too weak for-"

He was disturbed by the Chuu-Nin himself who had found his voice again: "But you yourself said, I wasn't a 'young boy who has to be protected' anymore. So why can't I go to this important mission then?"

"Do you know what this task is about? You are not able to survive fighting one of the Uchiha brothers for more than one second. You'll die on this assignment!"

"So what? Many Ninja die during their missions."

"Iruka…", Anko whispered, "I never even thought of hearing this from you."

"Oh, don't become sentimental now, Anko", Tsunade told her, "However…it's decided. So go and hurry!"

"Yes, Hokage-Sama", the three answered without any opposition and left the Hokage's office to start on their new job.

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I hope you enjoyed reading!  
If there is anyone wholikes this story, I'll upload the next chapter.


	2. Fights

_I am sorry I've made you wait so long, but since I am as an exchangestudent in Finland this year, I had so many things to do before the year started and now I am in Finland and have to learn the language and so on, so I can't promise anything, but trying to write on as soon as possible._

_**2. Fights**_

After packing all the things to take with them, the three Ninja met at Konoha's front gate. Of course it was Kakashi to be the latest. First Iruka opened his mouth to say something but after he'd thought for a moment, he decided not to do so for providing fights with his team-mate.

But Anko wasn't that contained. "Kakashi, how are you going to explain being late AGAIN?!"

"Ooh, I doubted whether little idiot" – His gaze drifted over to Iruka – "would be brave enough to come here…and I'm sure his knees are shivering, though he came…"

"Why are you teasing him? He didn't say anything bad to you! If you want to find someone who's responsible for your bad mood, blame yourself", the Kunoichi snapped and placed herself between the two men.

"Anko!", Iruka shouted before Kakashi could even take a breath, "You needn't protect me or anything! I am able to care for myself, trust me."

A second later he regretted his words, which had been much too cold.

First Anko answered nothing, but then she hung her head and stepped out of the way.

"If you two want to fight, our mission is doomed to failure", she finally said calmly without looking neither at Kakashi nor Iruka.

Then she passed the front gate, not even turning round or waiting for their comrades.

Never had Iruka felt that terrible he did now as they followed Anko without saying a word. He could hear their breathing and his heartbeat.

After a sheer endless time of walking silently the sun finally set and they had to find a place for settling down and sleeping.

"Let's stay here", Anko ordered, still sounding a bit angry, "it seems to be a good place."

"Why do we only have two blankets with us?", Iruka asked nervously.

To be honest he was afraid for the answer.

"They took so much space for we had to leave one home", Anko replied friendly and smiled at him as he gave her a confused look.

Kakashi watched the two of them, some sort of hatred flaming in his seen eye. "So…you'll have to share one with me, if you don't want to become frozen, idiot."

Holding back an answer, Iruka just sighed deeply and gripped on of the blankets.

"Iruka", Ankos voice made him turn round, "well…it's nothing really. I just…I just don't want you two to fight!"

"Anko…don't worry about that!"

He gave her one of his most beautiful smiles which Kakashi recognized with sudden pain flowing through his chest.

Hating Iruka for flirting this girl that blatantly, he turned his back on them and snorted.

When Iruka was gone in order to find another place for him and Kakashi to sleep, Anko came over to the silver haired Jou-Nin and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What was the matter before, Kakashi-San? Please…please be a bit friendlier to Iruka-Kun."

Kakashi shuffled again.

"Huh…I'm sorry, but I can't, Anko-Kun."

"How dare you saying this? For you didn't even try!"

"What do you know about me?!", Kakashi shouted with anger, "Nothing do you know about me! Not even a fucking bit! You're just the same as all the others. But you needn't understand me; nobody does really. Just leave me alone for now!"

These Words hurt Anko like she had been hit right into the face. After Kakashi had rushed out of her sight – probably searching for Iruka to go to sleep – tears came up into her eyes and she had difficulties in holding them back while changing her clothes before curling herself up under her blanket.

When Kakashi found Iruka, the Chuu-Nin had already done their bed and was now sitting on a stone at the little beck flowing beside. He did not seem to recognize the Jou-Nin, so Kakashi just changed his clothes and laid down pulling the cover over his body.

After a while he heard Iruka coming near and lying down beside him.

The dolphin looked out meticulously for not striking the other man. Thinking, Kakashi was sleeping already, he was shocked for the first second, as he felt a warm hand on his shoulder.

"I'm…sorry for…for teasing you, Iruka-Sensei", the silver haired hawed into his ear.

"Wha-What…?"

Bewildered Iruka turned round but Kakashi had fallen asleep already.

~*~*~

In the middle of the night Kakashi was awakened by a scream.

'Anko!', he thought shooting up and putting his clothes on carelessly before hurrying to the place he had left her the evening before.

Iruka followed him noiseless.

As they reached the clearance, Anko was thrown to their feet.

Kakashi hold back Iruka, as he tried to jump to Anko's side in order to help her.

"Don't."

"But…she's bleeding! I have to-"

"Don't", the Jou-Nin repeated without looking at his confused comrade.

This was when Iruka followed Kakashi's view to see who was standing in front of them.

"Itachi", he gasped.

"Don't dare looking into his eyes!", the scarecrow yelled while forcing Iruka to the ground, "You'll be caught up in his illusion in no time!"

"Long time no see, Kakashi…Copy-Ninja extraordinaire."

Itachi's voice made the named shiver in antipathy. He looked at Anko who was lying on the ground without moving an inch before his gaze finally met the Uchiha's – both filled with anger and hatred.

"Why are you searching for me?", Itachi continued, "And…who do you think I am? How dare you – a useless Chuu-Nin and two seemingly terrible Jou-Nin – attacking me?!"

"I'll show you useless!", Iruka shouted.

Filled with anger the Chuu-Nin ran towards his enemy.

Kakashi didn't manage holding him back.

"Stop it, Iruka! That's insane! You'll die in a couple of seconds, idiot!"

"So you think, I was useless, too?", Iruka asked angrily.

"You're a Chuu-Nin! You know what this means. Tsunade-Sama shouldn't send you on these missions. We'll loose you otherwise."

"How dare you…?!", the Chuu-Nin yelled at him, "Ever and ever people told me, I was weak…that's sort of pissing me off! I hate you, Kakashi!"

These words sat. Kakashi swallowed hard. He didn't want the dolphin to hate him. Until he was able to move, Iruka had reached Itachi who just smirked evilly before flipping the Chuu-Nin's explosive tags away as if they were only little flies.

Kakashi watched with rising anxiety. Iruka jumped and tried to catch Itachi with one of his Kunai, but the Nuke-Nin didn't even have to leave his place for dodging it.

In his current state of anger the academy-teacher forgot about what Kakashi had told them about not looking into this enemy's eyes and looked straight into Itachi's red and black iridis.

"Iruka!" Kakashi yelled in panic as he saw his comrade looking into the most frightening technique he himself knew – the Mangekyou-Sharingan! "Don't look at him! Iruka! Iruka!"

Iruka stood motionless in front of Itachi. He wasn't able to turn his eyes off him. He heard Kakashi's voice calling his name again and again. That was when he remembered what the Jou-Nin had told him about Itachi's eyes. Was he already captured in an illusion? Was Kakashi's voice real? Or just some sort of Itachi's plans? He didn't know anymore. But he wanted to. Iruka didn't want to loose again. And beside that he had to save Anko. She had been his one and only friend for so long now. He really wasn't allowed to loose this time. With pure will power his widened eyes wrenched and he withstood the force of looking at Itachi and got his eyes away.

An unreadable expression on his face Itachi watched the Chuu-Nin stepping backward. What was that? How could a mere Chuu-Nin withstand his, Uchiha Itachi's, power? The power of the incredible Sharingan? He wasn't able to understand this.

Iruka just watched his enemy drawing two Shuriken and throwing them at two of his important organs. By an almost invisible snapping of his hand he made the weapons fly back towards Iruka three times as fast.

Iruka tried dodging, but one of the Shuriken hit his left shoulder with full power and threw him backwards.

"Iruka!" he heard Kakashi shouting as his flight was cut off by the strong bark of a tree and his vision turned black.

As fast as he could Kakashi ran towards his wounded comrade. He bent down on his knees and touched Iruka's face.

"Iruka…hey, Iruka! You have to wake up now."

When the dolphin opened his eyes slowly, he added: "Can you stand up on your own?"

"What are…you talking…about?", Iruka coughed and his eyes filled with anger, "bullshit! Of course…I can…"

"Don't overdo it, trash", they heard Itachi's mocking voice from behind.

Agony flaming in his eyes, Kakashi stood up and turned slowly towards his enemy.

"Itachi…don't you dare talking of Umino Iruka that way! It's you who's the trash here. You betrayed your village and murdered your family!"

Iruka's eyes widened in surprise. Was that really Hatake Kakashi talking or was it a Gen-Jutsu?

"Ka-Kakashi…" he whispered, but the scarecrow heard.

He turned his head towards the teacher and smiled cheerfully.

"Don't worry, Iruka-Sensei. I'm going to protect Anko-San with all I have. Even my life."

"Are you really that stupid, Hatake?" Itachi jeered "Are you really the same idiot your father was?"

"Uchiha!" Kakashi could no longer stand this person. He could not pretend not listening to Itachi anymore. "Don't you dare talking about my father that way!"

"Kakashi-San! Watch out!" Iruka called, as he saw the black weapon coming from a second Itachi standing behind them, which the Jou-Nin hadn't recognized yet.

Kakashi turned round, his eyes wide, but he couldn't see anything.

"What do you–" he began, but Iruka jumped up and right in front of him. He saw the dolphin teacher's blood splatter all over his own chest, when a seemingly invisible sharp weapon hit him.

'Gen-Jutsu' he thought. But when did he look into Itachi's eyes? He didn't remember, but he saw Iruka breaking down blood spitting in front of him.

_I hope, __you liked the chapter (if someone is still reading this...). We will hopefully read soon!_

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